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Weekly Video – Tim Conder, The Bible In Community

What if a corrective to and overly reductionistic understanding of the Gospel and the Kingdom of God were the Scriptures? Often applying the KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid/Silly/etc) to the Scriptures undercuts its depth and intent under the illuminating work of the Spirit. Some things aren’t that simple. And, to attempt to make the Scriptures overtly simple often keeps the deep wrestling needed for formation at bay.

Facilitating a course at Biblical Seminary a few years ago I encountered some Mennonite students. My pastor growing up, an extremely conservative fundamentalist preacher, told me that if I were to venture beyond the Southern Baptist arena I would likely not go wrong with the Mennonites. These students began to describe the value of community in both making decisions, something I was familiar with in the Free Church tradition, and interpreting Scripture. The former allowed for a consensus built upon the perceived activity of the Spirit of God. The latter did the same and also provided a corrective for “my” interpretation.

I met Tim some years ago. In this week’s weekly video he is interviewed about his new book Free For All by my friend Spencer Burke. Sometimes guys like Tim are off-handedly criticized. Listen carefully and you cannot help catch his enthusiasm for the Scriptures and how they function in shaping Christian community.

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Galatians 1:3-9

Pastoral Prayer: Loving and Gracious Lord of All, influences in our lives lure us to be observers and consumers. In order to live that way and claim to follow your Son we must de-form the Gospel, the Good News. Remind us today that our Amen is not a verbal affirmation but our response to the call to participate in the invasion of Grace you began in Jesus our Lord. By whose faith we are saved and in whose name we pray . . And All God’s people say . . . Amen.

Pastoral Prayer: Lord God, help us to see. Give us ears to hear what our eyes cannot see. As we see, by your Spirit, may your, “Go”, be met with our, “Follow.” And all God’s people say . . . Amen.

Saint Augustine wrote,

The wretched helplessness of fallen humanity is seen symbolically in the blindness of Bartimaeus. (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scriptures)

Seems a harsh evaluation of a story that is limited to seven verses. Even more, what would Augustine have in mind that would lead him to such a conclusion in … Continue reading

Early this morning the local weather prognosticator provided the temperature pattern for the first 14 days of October. Generally we are dry and still longing for cooler temps. That it seemed summer was hanging on at the first of October was evident. Temperatures were well above normal.

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